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Barclays, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Cafcass and Centrica were among the employers recognised for their approaches to flexible working and gender diversity at the sixth annual Workingmums.co.uk Top Employer Awards on 3 November.Cafcass, the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service, received the ‘Overall top employer award’ as well as the ‘Award for innovation in flexible working’. The judges praised the employer for its achievement in transforming from an underperforming organisation to one that earned an outstanding rating from Ofsted and doubled its productivity rate.Barclays (pictured) was recognised for its commitment to equality and diversity in talent attraction, particularly its effective promotion of job shares, winning the ‘Award for talent attraction’.Bank of America Merrill Lynch received the ‘Award for career progression’ accolade and was praised for its returning talent programme, which helps those who have taken a career break to get back to work.Centric won the ‘Award for family support’ for its holistic approach, which encompasses a commitment to carers and shared parenting.The full list of winners is as follows:‘Award for innovation in flexible working’: Cafcass; Highly commended: Vodafone.‘Award for best for dads’: The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).‘Award for family support’: Centrica PLC.‘Award for talent attraction’: Barclays.‘Award for career progression’: Bank of America Merrill Lynch; Highly commended: Macquarie.‘The working mums champion award’: Natasha Clarke, managing partner at SThree PLC.‘Award for SMEs with 1-25 employees’: Cariad Marketing.‘Award for SMEs with 26-250 employees’: iCrossing.‘Overall top employer award’: Cafcass.Gillian Nissim, founder of Workingmums.co.uk, said: “This is the sixth year for our Top Employer Awards and once again we have been really impressed by the kind of work being done by the shortlisted organisations and by the range of sectors they represent.“This made for some really difficult decisions during the judging process, but it is a challenge we welcome.“Cafcass’ entry was really impressive and shows how a holistic approach to flexible working can benefit employees, the organisation and its clients. The turnaround it has achieved through implementation of flexible practices is truly remarkable.”read more

EXCLUSIVE: Gain insight into valuing mental health as a future workplace asset at Employee Benefits Connect 2017.Beth Husted (pictured), rehabilitation services manager at Unum UK, will present a session titled ‘Creating breakthroughs in mental health as the future workplace asset’ as part of the holistic wellbeing conference stream on Wednesday 1 March 2017.Husted will highlight the stigma around mental health in the workplace, and outline what employers can do to help staff manage their mental health, as well as ensuring managers are trained to effectively support staff with mental health conditions.Husted said: “Mental health is just as important as physical health. There are a lot of people who are working and contributing to the economy [and] they are doing it with a mental health problem. So the point is increasing the awareness of good mental health and wellbeing at work and realising that having good mental health is a really good asset for businesses and for society.”Husted will also discuss findings from research conducted by Unum, The Mental Health Foundation and Oxford Economics, examining negative perceptions around mental health in the workplace, and why some employees with a mental health condition have concerns about disclosing this to line managers.Husted added: “[The session] is really relevant to those who are pivotal within businesses to do with culture change and to do with managing diversity.”Employee Benefits Connect 2017 will take place on Wednesday 1 March 2017 at Park Plaza, London.To register or find out more.read more

SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) – Rescue crews rushed a bicyclist to the hospital after they were hit by a car in Southwest Miami-Dade, Saturday morning.Miami-Dade Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the crash in the area of Southwest 120th Street and 137th Avenue, just after 11 a.m.The driver of the car stopped and remained at the scene.The victims sustained traumatic injuries.Paramedics airlifted the victim to Jackson South Trauma Center for treatment.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

MIAMI (WSVN) – South Florida students took a trip to the Frost Science Museum to learn about solar energy.Thousands of students attended the field trip, which was part of FPL’s Days in the Sun event, Monday afternoon.The day involved interactive learning opportunities and games to educate children about the power of the sun through solar panels.“I think that it’s cool they can show you how to use power and energy in different ways,” Jaden said.Students later had the opportunity to go on the roof to juice-up and race tiny solar powered cars.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.read more

My biggest supporter was found unconscious under water in a wrecked car for 30 minutes. She survived. She made my year already. 2019 a blessing 💪🏾💯🙏🏾 Preciate @MajorNine x @DJSamSneak x @Realballgreezy x Yung Miami for making her day as well 💯 pic.twitter.com/MOXbCynk2p— Kiddo Marv (@KiddoMarv) January 3, 2019 Gutierrez was riding in the car with friends when it plunged into the lake near Miami Lakes Drive.One of the other passengers, 19-year-old Christopher Leyva, lost his life trying to rescue the 15-year-old from the submerged vehicle, said family members.The teen’s family said she is doing much better since the incident but still has a long way to go.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. (WSVN) – A teen on the road to recovery got a morale boost from a special visitor while in the hospital.Local rapper Kiddo Marv stopped by to surprise Dezirea Joseph Gutierrez, who is recovering from a watery crash that ended in tragedy.The 15-year-old was rescued from a submerged vehicle after it crashed into a lake in Miami Lakes, Tuesday morning.The rapper posted a video of the visit on his Twitter and said that her story of survival already made his year.Related: Man dead, teen hospitalized after car plunges into lake in Miami Lakes“Her auntie wrote me on Snapchat, and she sent me the video just to remind me, just in case I forgot who she was,” said Marv. “It just touched me. The next morning, I just decided to just head over there.”read more

HALLANDALE BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – South Florida Muslims came together to mark the beginning of Eid ul-Adha, an important Islamic holiday.7News cameras captured congregants starting their day at Baitul Naseer Mosque in Hallandale Beach, Sunday.Eid ul-Adha reminds Muslims of the importance of sacrifice, service to humanity and gratefulness to God.Copyright 2019 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Anyone with information regarding this case are encouraged to call the troopers, in Soldotna at 907-262-4453. Staff at Hope Community Resources reported that over the weekend someone had broken the latch on the shed at the facility, but did not take anything, then over Monday night May 20th, someone had returned and taken 2 propane bottles from outside the building as well as a table and two chairs. Facebook0TwitterEmailPrintFriendly分享The Alaska State Troopers received a report of a theft at Hope Community Resources on K-Beach Road during the weekend of May 18th. This remains an ongoing investigation.read more

Want to hear someone get excited about a database? (Yes, a database.) Here’s Heather Holmes marveling over the master file she oversees at Technology Review.“I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to talk about our new spiffy database,” she says. “We’re still building it, but I’m delighted to sing its praises based on Phase I.”Why all the love? For the first time, Technology Review has a gigantic, unified, real-time database the company employs for e-commerce transactions, market analysis, content creation, newsletter creation, Webinars and RSS feeds among other uses, says Holmes, who serves as senior vice president of audience development.Across the industry, publishers increasingly are selling across many different products and channels, including print, digital, events and research. Technology Review’s early success with its new database may provide a case study for other publishers as they, too, move to build master files. Until October 2010, when Technology Review launched its database, the magazine was pulling data from multiple sources: newsletter lists, events lists, international partners, content databases, newsletter databases, RSS feeds, a Webinar database, and others. Some of the databases were housed at Technology Review’s office in Cambridge, others at the magazine’s fulfillment provider in California. And none of those databases was connected.Requirements for a Single Database About a year ago, Technology Review began discussions with ESP Computer Systems in North Hollywood, Calif., a fulfillment company already hosting some of Technology Review’s systems and databases.Together, the two companies created requirements for the project. They had to devise a system that would allow Technology Review to use a single database for its Web site paywall strategy, events sign-ups, products, subscriptions and security maintenance. “There are a lot of moving parts and a tremendous amount of data whizzing back and forth,” says Holmes. “The customer has no idea the data is flying across the country.”Maintaining the platform requires careful coordination. Holmes said she has monitoring in place so that if Technology Review’s systems go down, or if ESP’s systems go down, there is a Plan B. “It’s centralized and real-time,” Holmes said. “We truly use that one database for everything from database transactions to market analysis.”The database offered an almost immediate financial pay-off. “This is tremendously helpful to our bottom line,” she says. “I can instantly go online and do queries and cross-hatch reports that tell me, for instance, how many of my newsletter subscribers don’t get the print magazine. Then I can immediately blast them a newsletter upsell.”Before, Holmes said, she would have had to merge and purge several customer lists and databases—a process that would have taken three to four weeks of planning. “My time to market is now instant,” she said.Digital Subscriptions Up 10 PercentIn October, the magazine moved 11 of its e-mail newsletters to the new database; in late November, the Web site registration process went live; and in December Holmes moved the event registration process to the new database.Users can register online at technologyreview.com, subscribe, pay with a credit card, gain immediate access to its premium content—and appear in the database in mere seconds.Digital subscriptions increased 10 percent in just the first two weeks of the paywall’s existence—the first time in the six years Holmes has worked at Technology Review that growth was noticeable in a short time period. “That was a statistic I got goosebumps over,” she says.read more

The basic Mad cover hasn’t changed much since the late 60s. They still heavily rely on parodies of popular TV shows and movies combined with the antics of Alfred E. Neuman. The April issue, illustrated by Mark Frederickson and art direction by Sam Viviano, is something of a departure. Recent covers have been rawer, somewhat gross and more juvenile. Mad’s February 2014 cover, also illustrated by Frederickson, featured a nasty image of Miley Cyrus and her now infamous twerk. Another cover from last year depicted, in a very rough, cartoony style, Alfred E. Neuman peeing on an amusement park water slide (this is Mad, after all). Frederickson is a frequent cover illustrator for Mad, essentially taking the place occupied by Norman Mingo on the classic covers of the 1960s and 70s. He’s a highly skilled artist who works in multiple styles and who has a great sense of humor. Mad magazine’s April 2014 cover parody of The Lego Movie is bright, fun, engaging, and perfectly executed, with a smart illustration. This cover not only fits right in with Mad’s snarky, wacko cover legacy, but would also feel at home on the front of Entertainment Weekly or Time (without the Alfred E. Neuman character, of course!). It’s a grown-up cover on a young person’s magazine. I showed Lillian the Mad cover and her first response was “It’s so cute! It looks like the instruction booklet for the Lego sets.” However, she then said that she liked last issue’s Miley Cyrus cover, because “It’s funnier and I get it right away.” But wait a minute! Is that a good thing for a magazine like Mad? I called on my resident expert, my daughter Lillian, to get her opinion. Lillian is 13 and a regular Mad reader (I confess to throwing out more than a couple of her copies when I thought they were inappropriate). She’s also the daughter of two art directors (her mother, Chris Curry, is the illustration editor at The New Yorker), so she has a good graphic sensibility. Like many folks my age, I grew up reading Mad, and of course my parents thought it was a corrupting influence and threw out as many copies as they could find. Somehow I kept buying issues and sneaking them into the house, hiding them under my bed. When I look at those issues from the 60s now, they seem very tame compared to the current edition, which is much more risqué in terms of sex and general raunchiness. That level of provocative offensiveness is exactly what appeals to a younger audience! I love the artwork on this cover, and I love the way it works as a stylistic whole, parodying both The Lego Movie poster and Lego packaging in general. Rather than just being a funny illustration slapped on to a Mad cover, this is a brilliant, holistically-designed package, complete with Lego logo and integrated typography. It’s highly-sophisticated conceptual work. I wish more magazines took this kind of overall care, both with imagery and design. If this critique has got you thinking about past covers, be sure to visit Doug Gilford’s Mad Cover, which is the essential destination for fans of all ages. Gilford has an archive of every Mad cover from 1952, including illustrator credits and in some cases, back cover artwork (the archival covers included in this story are via Gilford’s site). And you can see more of Mark Frederickson’s illustration work, including a good number of Mad images. If a parent likes a Mad cover, does that make it uncool? I’m curious to see how Mad’s audience responds to this gentler, more parent-friendly approach, or whether they prefer the cruder (and admittedly funnier) covers.read more

Kiplinger’s Personal Finance has hired Eileen Ambrose as senior editor. Ambrose most recently worked as senior editor and writer for the money team at AARP.Susan Kaplow has been named chief content officer of Apartment Therapy Media. There, she will oversee content strategy for the brand’s sites Apartment Therapy and Kitchn. Kaplow heads to the new position from SheKnows Media, where she formerly served as chief content officer.David Stuckey has been appointed VP of revenue at GQ and GQ Style, slated to start in early September. Stuckey formerly served as VP of revenue at Vogue.Gizmodo Media Group announced Susie Banikarim as its new editorial director, where she will oversee Gizmodo, Deadspin, Jezebel, Kotaku, Lifehacker, Splinter and The Root. Banikarim most recently served as chief content officer for Vocativ, which terminated its entire editorial staff in mid-June.Peter Lattman has been appointed vice chairman of The Atlantic. He was formerly an editor at The New York Times. In addition to his new role, Lattman will continue to serve as the managing director of media at Emerson Collective.Baltimore Magazine has appointed Michael Teitelbaum as its president, where he will start on August 28. Most recently, Teitelbaum served as a managing partner at Right Source Marketing.GIE Media, Inc. has promoted Brian Horn to editor of Lawn & Landscape, a B2B magazine. Horn formerly served as managing editor for the publication.Corinne Perkins has been promoted to North America editor, Reuters Pictures, and will start in the beginning of September, overseeing both the U.S. and Canada teams. Perkins most recently worked in Toronto, as the organization’s online visuals editor.Justine Bellavita has been named editor-in-chief of Vogue International, the first in the newly formed role. She most recently served as digital editor of Vogue Italia.Vicky Ward is now an editor-at-large for HuffPost. She most recently worked at Town & Country in the same position. Sarah Jones has been promoted to staff writer at the New Republic, where she most recently served as social media editor.“Sarah has become an invaluable member of the New Republic since joining our team last August,” says editor Eric Bates in a statement. “In addition to maximizing the visibility of our content across social platforms, her unique approach to political and cultural commentary has emerged as a integral part of our web coverage. From her insightful take on J.D. Vance to her stand-out review of The Handmaid’s Tale, she has developed a loyal following for her keen analysis and incisive writing. We look forward to featuring her as a prominent voice in the New Republic.”The New Republic also promoted Eric Armstrong to social media editor. Armstrong formerly served as the organization’s social media intern.Here are the rest of this week’s people on the move:read more

The House Armed Services Committee is expected to mark up its fiscal 2019 defense authorization bill May 9, setting up a possible floor vote later that month, according to congressional sources. With the two-year budget deal lawmakers reached in February, the question of how much topline funding the measure will authorize already has been answered — the defense spending cap is set at $647 billion for FY 2019, with total discretionary spending rising to $716 billion after including DOD’s overseas contingency operations account. A spokesman for the committee declined to confirm its schedule for considering the annual defense policy bill, reports CQ. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Marie Montez Dan Cohen AUTHORread more

Nicki Minaj Awards 37 New Scholarships nicki-minaj-awards-37-college-scholarships-social-media News Facebook This marks the second time Minaj has awarded college assistance via her Student of the Game program after a first round last month. Minaj spontaneously paid for student expenses in May 2017, and announced she would launch an “official charity for student loans/tuition payments very soon.” Student of the Game makes good on that promise. Twitter The GRAMMY-nominated rapper takes her spontaneous education initiatives to the next levelRenée FabianGRAMMYs Jul 3, 2018 – 10:55 am In case you missed it, Nicki Minaj has been an advocate for education since the beginning, often shouting out the importance of staying in school in interviews and on social media. Now the GRAMMY-nominated rapper has announced the next 37 recipients to receive college funding from the Queen herself.On June 29, Minaj made the announcement of the latest Student of the Game scholarship recipients via her website. Students were chosen to receive funding for loan repayment or tuition payments and were contacted via direct message of Twitter. The only caveat is that those who were awarded in a previous round aren’t eligible for assistance again until at least a year has passed. For those who are interested in throwing their hat in the ring for assistance from Minaj, stay tuned to her social media channels and websites for more information.Catching Up On Music News Powered By The Recording Academy Just Got Easier. Have A Google Home Device? “Talk To GRAMMYs”Read more Nicki Minaj Awards 37 College Scholarships Via Social Media Email read more

WILMINGTON, MA — Here are several opportunities to catch live music in Wilmington this week:Concerts on the Common: BackTrackWednesday, August 1, 6:30pmWilmington Town CommonBackTrack is a small band with a big sound producing the most accurate rendition of songs from each era! Get ready for a wide selection of classic songs from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s, the Girl Groups of the 60’s, and over 25 other bands and artists. Some people call it “oldies” or “memory music”, but we just call it fun! (Rain date: 8/2)Tom ColantuoniSunday, August 5, 10am-1pmWilmington Farmers Market (Swain Green)NOTE: Know of any other musical performances happening in town this week or in the coming weeks? Let me know at wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedWilmington Concerts On The Common Series Continues With ‘BackTrack’ On July 24In “Community”VIDEO: Watch ‘The Back Track Band’ Perform A Concert On The CommonIn “Videos”Wilmington’s Concerts On The Common Return On Wednesday Nights This JulyIn “Community”read more

WILMINGTON, MA — Last week, the Board of Selectmen executed an agreement agreement between the town and AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Local 1703 Unit II.The union represents DPW staff, library staff, and many of the town’s clerical and administrative personnel.“This contract is for three years, from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2021. Discussions had been ongoing since May 2018,” explained Town Manager Jeff Hull. “The contract consists of a 2.5% increase retroactive 7/1/18, a 2.5% increase beginning 7/1/19, and a 2.5% increase beginning 7/1/20.”Hull highlighted a few changes to the prior contract, including:DPW personnel who are working beyond their regular shift for plowing and other purposes will now be allowed a meal allowance not to exceed $12. (Previously $10.)DPW personnel are allowed to spend up to $190 annually for safety shoes. (Previously $180.)Union members must now provide 3 days notice if seeking to take 3 or more days of vacation.The day following Thanksgiving will warrant time-and-half OT, not double time OT.Union members hired after the signing of the contract won’t be paid for unused personal time upon separation.Selectmen unanimously approved the contract with no comments or questions. The Board previously met in Executive Session to discuss the agreement.Like Wilmington Apple on Facebook. Follow Wilmington Apple on Twitter. Follow Wilmington Apple on Instagram. Subscribe to Wilmington Apple’s daily email newsletter HERE. Got a comment, question, photo, press release, or news tip? Email wilmingtonapple@gmail.com.Share this:TwitterFacebookLike this:Like Loading… RelatedSELECTMEN NOTEBOOK: 6 Things That Happened At This Month’s Selectmen’s MeetingIn “Government”SELECTMEN NEWS: Town To Announce Plan To Increase Number Of Accepted RoadsIn “Government”SELECTMEN NEWS: Town To Change Trash & Recycling Company In July 2020; Russell Disposal Near BankruptcyIn “Government”read more

6 Share your voice A stitch in time: Planning your own funeral online 3D-printed cremation urn replicates your loved one’s head Star Wars urns store your ashes in a Death Star or Vader helmet Tags Logging Out: Welcome to the crossroads of online life and the afterlife.Culture: Your hub for everything from film and television to music, comics, toys and sports. 13 Photos Sci-Tech A computer-rendered vision of what a Recompose facility would look like. Molt Studios Would you prefer to be cremated or buried in a casket? Washington might give residents an additional option if it becomes the first US state to legalize an unusual end-of-life practice — composting human remains.”Recomposting” — which advertises as more environmentally friendly than traditional funeral practices — is a process where a human body is quickly decomposed using heat-loving microbes and beneficial bacteria. The temperature is kept at 131 degrees Fahrenheit (55 Celsius) for 72 consecutive hours. The remains are then added into soil that can be used as mulch for trees, flowers and other plants.Washington State Sen. Jamie Pedersen, a Democrat, plans to introduce a recomposting bill in January, NBC reports. Comments If passed, the bill would legalize recomposting in Washington so citizens could choose an alternative to the traditional methods of burial and cremation of human remains. The Seattle company Recompose would be responsible for the actual composting of human bodies. In 2017, Pederson introduced a similar bill but says it failed due to opposition from religious groups, according to NBC.Neither Sen. Pedersen or Recompose, the company that would be responsible for the actual composting of human bodies, responded to a request for comment. “The transformation of human to soil happens inside our reusable, hexagonal recomposition vessels,” the Recompose website says. “When the process has finished, families will be able to take home some of the soil created, while gardens on-site will remind us that all of life is interconnected.”During the recomposting process, bodies are screened for non-organic materials like metal teeth fillings, pacemakers and artificial limbs, which are recycled whenever possible.The entire process takes a month, and can produce a cubic yard of soil per person, according to Recompose. While this may sound ideal to people wanting an environmental-friendly option to burial, not everyone can go through the recomposting process. Some pathogens (like the bacteria that causes anthrax) may be resistant to the composting process, so people with certain health conditions may be ineligible. While recomposting has yet to be made legal in the US, “green burials” (bury human bodies without chemicals) are legal in all 50 states. Currently, recomposting a human body is legal in Sweden. More on funerals and burial These bizarre burial concepts go way beyond coffinsread more

Enlarge ImageAccording to AMG head Tobias Moers, we could be closer to seeing One on the road much sooner than we thought. Mercedes-Benz It’s been a while since Mercedes-Benz pulled the sheet off of its One hypercar, and that might leave you wondering just where this Formula One-derived technological terror is. Well, somewhat unsurprisingly, Mercedes has been finding it challenging to make its 1.6-liter turbocharged engine meet Europe’s increasingly stringent emissions targets.A big part of the struggle comes from Europe’s move from the New European Driving Cycle to the World Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP). This new, more difficult test has tripped up just about every major European manufacturer and it’s forced AMG to get creative.AMG boss Tobias Moers confirmed to Autocar on Tuesday that the company had been having trouble getting its F1-based, stratospherically-revving 1.6-liter turbo six-cylinder engine to meet targets without dropping below the One’s advertised 1,000-horsepower rating.To meet the emissions goals under WLTP, AMG was forced to fit its engine with a new gasoline particulate filter and work some other, more esoteric magic on the powerplant but it would seem that it worked because Moers also confirmed that his company is now only a few weeks from starting to plan customer delivery dates.That means that if you’re lucky, you could be hearing the high-pitched wail of Mercedes-AMG One bouncing off the walls of buildings in your extremely ritzy locale much sooner than expected, and that also means that Lamborghini’s Aventador SVJ might have something to worry about where its ‘Ring record is concerned. 2020 Mercedes-Benz EQC first drive: Luxury first, range second 7 Photos 0 Exotic Cars Car Industry 2020 BMW M340i review: A dash of M makes everything better More From Roadshow Post a comment Mercedes-Benz Tags Mercedes-Benz Lamborghini Mercedes-AMG One gets its own mobile showroom Share your voice 2019 Audi Q3 second drive: More for the massesread more

10 More Galaxy Fold stories Samsung said, “We cannot speculate or comment on this.” Samsung is no doubt scrambling for a feasible workaround to reinforce the screen, pushing back the launch of Fold preorders until June at least. But foldable phones aren’t projected to get bendable glass for another year or two. Until future foldable phones start using bendable glass, or at least harder polymer materials to protect the display, I’m tossing thoughts of another S Pen on ice. Because while a digital stylus for the Fold falls into place, there’s just no place for a stylus on today’s fragile Fold. Read: How the Note 10 could be the hero phone Samsung needs now Article originally posted May 4 at 4 a.m. PT. Comments Share your voice Close up with the Galaxy Fold screen, notch and hinge Galaxy Fold screen mess: Sucking up to buyers might be Samsung’s best way out Galaxy Fold loss could help other foldable phones succeed Galaxy Fold delay a blow to Samsung, but it’s no Note 7 disaster Tags 60 Photos Our Galaxy Fold didn’t break. Here’s what’s good and… Now playing: Watch this: 10:12 Foldable Phones Tablets People try the Galaxy Fold for the first time To date, the Galaxy Fold’s well-known screen problems come down to the design of its plastic Infinity Flex display. Without a bendable glass topper, the delicate screen surface is too fragile for all but the lightest touch, an unfortunate circumstance that caused five early production reviewer units to suffer breakdowns. That’s a shame, because without a sturdy screen, the Fold won’t be able to fulfill its true potential. See, this device is crying out for a stylus. Bendable glass would open up this new stylus opportunity for the Fold, an add on that seemed blindingly obvious to me after about five minutes of using the Galaxy Fold. A stylus is the Galaxy Fold’s perfect accessory. With its 7.3-inch inner screen, the Fold’s hybrid phone-tablet design has roughly 11.5% more display space than the Galaxy Note 9’s 6.4-inch screen, a phone that’s entirely defined by its S Pen stylus. When you’re already paying $1,980 for a “luxury” device, getting the ability to do more would only increase the Fold’s value.Everything you’d do on a phone like the rumored Note 10 you’d also want to do on the Fold, from navigating around and annotating items, to drawing or writing on the larger surface. Samsung already has this technology down pat, and extending the S Pen to the Fold could help Samsung further differentiate itself from other brands and win more Note fans.Think of how much more you could do with a pen. Angela Lang/CNET The Galaxy Fold is the first foldable phone from a major player. Phones that bend signal a bold new direction for Samsung and other brands that could double your phone’s screen space while remaining small enough to carry around. Samsung’s early problems highlight how a more complex design can increase the risk for something to go wrong.Although my own Galaxy Fold review unit worked flawlessly until Samsung asked for it back (this was scheduled from the start), I did notice first one screen dent and then another and a third, all accrued during my 10-day review period. While I’ve been known to scratch “regular” glass-topped phones in my purse or — yikes — the pavement, I had been babying the Fold. A device you worry about marring with your fingernail isn’t one you needle countless times a day with the plastic tip of a digital pen. The argument in favor of a Galaxy Fold stylus has precedent. Apple made the Apple Pencil for the iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Pro has the Surface Pen. Unlike these two devices, Samsung sees the Fold as a phone-tablet mashup and not a tablet-laptop hybrid, but both the iPad Pro and Surface Pro come with optional, aftermarket pen accessories aimed at power users. The Fold seems like a natural gateway for Samsung to explore a more grown-up Fold down the line, especially if foldable devices took off.While an S Pen for the Fold wouldn’t necessarily tip the balance toward the Galaxy Fold or erase buyers’ fears (a rewards program and concierge support would go further there), an extra accessory might give Fold fans more to love. At the very least, it could help make the Galaxy Fold feel more complete. When that time comes, some of Samsung’s current phone screen problems might vanish, like debris working its way beneath the display, damage due to pressure and easy screen scratches. Read: After Galaxy Fold fiasco, Note 10 may be the hero phone Samsung needs Samsung Now playing: Watch this: 5:50read more

Some Lyft investors aren’t so happy they went along for the IPO ride. Lyft Lyft is facing a class-action lawsuit from investors who allege the ride-hailing business overstated its market position during its initial public offering.Investors said they’re owed money after buying a stake in the company, which saw its shares fall by $9.02 earlier in May.Rosen Law Firm said on Friday that investors are also arguing that Lyft’s public statements were false and misleading because more than 1,000 of its ride-share bicycles had safety issues leading to their recall, and because of allegations that Lyft’s drivers became “disincentivized from driving for Lyft.”Lyft filed for its IPO in March, with shares initially offered at $72 and closing at $78.29 at the end of their first day of trading.Rival company Uber has also seen its stock fall after debuting on the market last week.Lyft was sued by investors last month as well, as its stock price fell. As of publication, Lyft shares were worth $53.79.For the quarter ending March 31, Lyft reported revenue of $776 million, higher than the $739.48 million forecast by analysts, and it’s predicting between $800 million and $810 million in revenue for the quarter ending in June. Lyft also reported that its number of active riders grew from 14 million a year ago to 20.5 million now. Lyft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. 4 Mobile Tech Industry Applications Mobile Apps Car Games and Apps Roadshow Stock Market Car Culture Comments Tags Share your voice Lyft Uberread more

Share your voice Now playing: Watch this: More From Roadshow Here’s everything that I’ve learned so far. Tags 2019 Mercedes-AMG E53 Sedan review: A breath of fresh(er) air Started from the bottom (bar)The lower edge of the Android Auto screen was traditionally home to five static shortcuts to the five main areas of the interface: navigation, phone, home, audio and OEM features. That bottom bar gets a lot more dynamic for this new generation. Now, you’ll find links to the new app launcher in the lower-left corner and icons for notifications and Google Assistant voice search on the right. In the middle, a new multitasking area changes function depending on where you are in the interface and what tasks are running in the background. So, if I’m looking at the map in the main area of the display, the lower bar might display pause and skip buttons for an audio app that’s currently playing or mute and end call buttons for a phone call in progress. Alternatively, if I’m viewing a music app’s Now Playing screen, the lower bar can display the next navigation instruction so I don’t miss a turn or an estimated travel time to a frequently chosen destination.Jumping between two functions, for example audio and navigation, is also now as simple as tapping the round icon at the left edge of this new multitasking area. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow The new app launcherGone is the home screen’s vertical list of cards that used to greet you when you launched Android Auto. Those notifications for missed calls, text messages, reminders and calendar appointments now live in their own notifications menu, accessible via a bell icon on the bottom bar.Technically, there is no “home screen” for this generation. The system now launches straight into whatever app you were last running — whether that was Google Maps, Audible or whatever — which saves you a click when it’s time to hit the road.That circular icon in the bottom bar then takes you to Android Auto’s new app launcher where all of the installed compatible apps live. It’s organized in a grid that looks a lot like the Google Pixel launcher on Android phones. The top row of icons is home to your four most frequently used apps. (For me, that’s Google Maps, Spotify, Pocketcasts and Phone.) Below that are the rest of the app icons and a few new surprises.A feature I’m especially loving is the ability to temporarily mute notifications from individual conversations, which comes in handy when my “Miata Friends” group chat gets out of control. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow Mixed in among icons for Waze, Google Play Music and more are new Google Assistant shortcuts to Calendar, News, Reminder and Weather. Clicking Calendar caused Google Assistant to read a list of appointments for the day from my Google Calendar; Weather gave current conditions and a forecast for my location; and News read aloud news headlines and podcasts that I’d previously told Assistant I was interested in.The Reminder button didn’t read my current Google Assistant reminders aloud — those show up in the Notifications area. Rather, it prompted me to add a new voice reminder, which is a bit redundant when I can already do that by pressing the microphone and saying, for example, “Remind me to call Emme when I get to work.”A new Settings menu lets you adjust elements of how Android Auto works by calling up the settings screen on the host phone. I’d have preferred an on-screen menu, but at least you don’t have to totally disconnect and reconnect anymore to make simple tweaks. Also tucked into the app launcher is the Exit icon, which sends you back to the host car’s OEM interface in one click, which makes much more sense than how the old setup dedicated an entire submenu to this function.Apps are now organized in an icon-based launcher that looks a lot like a chunky version of the Pixel Launcher for Google’s phones. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow Now playingGoogle Maps and Waze look and function basically identical to before, but the rest of the apps have received a new dark theme and a new font. Album artwork, which was stretched across the Now Playing screen’s background, has been shrunk back down into a small square. I don’t think this looks as good, but it’s certainly easier to read the song titles now and the darker scheme should help with nighttime visibility.The status icons (for wireless and Wi-Fi signal strength and phone battery state) are smaller and tucked deeper into the upper right-hand corner and the time moves into the upper left. (Hopefully, they’re not making room for an Android Auto notch.)The new interface also supposedly supports “colorful accents that match your car’s interior,” according to Google, but so far I haven’t noticed any difference in the three cars I’ve tested with so far: a 2020 Cadillac XT6, our long-term Honda Passport and the Maserati Levante in the Roadshow garage this week.Most of the interface now features a dark color scheme and a new font for improved visibility. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow Redesign roll outI’ve got four years of muscle memory with the old Android Auto, so my first few hours with the new interface were a little awkward. But I quickly acclimated to the new multitasking system, jumping seamlessly back and forth between maps and music.With the bottom bar showing complementary navigation info or audio controls all of the time, I found that I actually didn’t need to jump back and forth nearly as much and I was able to focus even more on the road ahead — always a good thing. I think, overall, this new version of Android Auto improves on both the form and function of the automotive interface and I’m looking forward to spending more time on the road with it.The next generation of Android Auto should be rolling out to users over the next few weeks via a combination of app and server-side updates. Once updated, a notification in the in-car app will allow you to try out the new look and feel for yourself.Originally published July 30.Update, July 30: Clarified how the Settings menu works.Update, August 8: Adds video. Google Assistant Google 30 Photos Redesigned Android Auto hits the road: We go hands-on More about Google Android Auto Auto Tech 3:25 2018 Ford EcoSport: Better late than never Android Auto gets its first major redesign since being announced in 2014. Antuan Goodwin/Roadshow I’ve been using Android Auto — Google’s automotive smartphone interface — almost daily since it hit the road back in the spring of 2015. And, in all of that time, the interface hasn’t changed very much. Whether in one of the dozens of cars that I review every year or in my personal ride, Android Auto today looks about the same as it did when it was first announced five years ago at Google I/O 2014. But just a few months ago, at Google I/O 2019, we learned that Android Auto would be getting its first major redesign since launch. Last week, Google invited me to try out a preview build of the new look. I’ve been living with the new Android Auto for a few days now and I am loving it. 2 Preview • Android Auto offers easy nav, voice control 2019 Kia K900: The best luxury sedan you’ve never heard of Comments The new Android Auto is easier on the eyes and easier to use News • Android Auto will be onboard 2020 Toyota Camry modelsread more